An Actress's Dream (Excerpts! )
by showtunediva
Summary: Excerpts from my collaboration with Sophie (AKA TheCatsApprentice19) Full story can be found on my profile and also on my profile on Archive Of Our Own. We hope you will like it. Dedicated to Michelle Emmond because she is awesome! We own no characters from Seussical. Kirsty is TCA19's original character and Demi the Who is my original characters.
1. Meeting A New Friend

**Meeting A New Friend**

**Chapter 1 -**

**A Seussical Fan Fiction**

Hi Everyone! I am collaborating with Sophie (TheCatsApprentice19) on this story. The starting point is a deleted scene between Kirsty (TCA19's OC) and Demi (My OC) in between Chapter 8 and 9 of TheCatApprentice's19 story **Seussical What Really Happened** *which you all need to read *. In this story these original characters will interact with Mayzie Gertrude and the Bird Girls.

Today I was walking down town running some errands when I ran into an unfamiliar person I had never met before. She looked around my cousin Jeff's age.. maybe a few years younger.

"Hi. Are you lost?" I asked.

The stranger nodded. "Yes, I am new to Whoville and I'm still trying to learn my way around town."

"Are you from around here?"

"No. I'm actually from Australia on Planet Earth."

"How did you get to Whoville?"

"Well, actually I was originally in the Jungle of Nool staying with Horton the Elephant. I'm not sure how I ended up here."

"What's your name?"

"Kirsty. I'm living with Mr. and Mrs. Mayor and Jojo."

I smiled. "It's very nice to meet you. I'm Demi. Where are you looking to go?"

"The library. I don't know much about this place so I want to learn more about the history and the people."

"I'll walk with you. I need to drop some books off on my way to the store. Will you need someone to walk you home?"

Kirsty smiled. "That's very nice of you. Mrs. Mayor said she would pick me up later."

"How old are you?" I asked.

"I just turned 15 a few days ago."

"Happy Birthday. I have a cousin around your age. Do you go to Whoville High?"

Kirsty nodded. "Yeah, I'm a freshmen. What grade is your cousin in?"

"He's a junior."

"I haven't made a lot of friends yet. Do his friends have any siblings my age?"

I nodded. "Yes. His best friend Randy has a younger sister named Lauren. I will have to introduce you to her sometime."

"That would be great." Kirsty smiled at me.

"Was your cousin drafted into the army led by General Schmitz?"

I nodded sadly. "Unfortunately yes. I already miss him. My other cousin was also drafted but she's too young to fight she's only 12."

We walked the rest of the way to the library in silence.

Later that night at dinner my uncle looked at me.

Demi, how would you like to go a concert this weekend?"

I ginned. "Sure Uncle Charles, anything to get my mind off of this stupid war. Where is the concert?"

"At the community center. A local jazz band is playing."

"Can Abby and Jocelyn come too?"

"The more the merrier."

Abby and Jocelyn are my best friends. Their siblings have also gone to General Schmitz's Military Academy and going to fight in the Butter Battle.

"I met someone new today." I said

"Really, who is it? my aunt asked.

"Her name is Kirsty. She's living with Mr. and Mrs. Mayor and Jojo."

"Is she an exchange student? I didn't know Mr. and Mrs. Mayor were hosting an exchange student."

"I suppose you could say that. She said she's from Planet Earth. She was originally staying in the Jungle of Nool with Horton The Elephant."

My uncle nodded. "Very interesting. What's she like?"

"She seems very shy. Hopefully she makes friends at Whoville High."

"What grade is she in?

"9th."

"Jeff's friend has a sister in 9th grade. Maybe they've met."

I shrugged. " I don't know."

Saturday night I picked up Jocelyn and Abby around 6:15. The concert was starting at 7:00.

"I'm so excited about this concert!" Jocelyn said.

I grinned. "I am too. I am so glad my uncle suggested this idea. I think it will get all our minds off of the butter battle and how much we miss our relatives who are fighting in it."

My uncle met us on the front steps of the community center with the tickets. He smiled at us.

"You ladies look lovely tonight."

Jocelyn smiled. "Thank you Mr. Daniels. We're looking forward to seeing the show."

We went into the auditorium to find our seats. As I was about to sit down Kirsty ran up to me.

"Hi Demi! I didn't know you were going to be here tonight."

I smiled. "Are Mr. and Mrs. Mayor here too?"

Kirsty nodded. "Yeah. We're sitting over there." She pointed across the aisle two rows up from where we were sitting.

The lights flickered on and off indicating the show was about to start.

"See you at intermission!" Kirsty said and went to join Mr. and Mrs. Mayor.

My aunt smiled at me. "She seems very sweet Dem."

I nodded. "She is."

The lights in the auditorium dimmed and the MC emerged from behind the curtain.

"Good evening Ladies and Gentleman. Thanks you for joining us tonight for this wonderful night of Jazz Enjoy the show!"

During intermission we met Mr. and Mrs. Mayor in the lobby for some punch and cookies.

"Sophia Charles How are you enjoying the show?" Mrs. Mayor asked

My uncle grinned. "It's wonderful! This definitely helps us to get our mind off of the Butter Battle. Have you heard from Jojo?

Mrs. Mayor shook her head sadly. "No, we haven't."

"Have you met our daughter Kirsty?" Mr. Mayor asked..

My uncle shook his head. "No but Demi has told us so much about her. Welcome to town Kirsty."

Kirsty smiled shyly. "Thank you sir."

**Additonal Note: ** I am in a community production of Seussical right now and in my show there are 7 bird girls instead of 3. All of the ensemble characters in my show were given names for my story Here On Who. Will Demi get to meet Mayzie and the Bird Girls? Read on to find out!


	2. Meeting The Bird Girls

**Chapter 3: Meeting the Bird Girls**

Hi Everyone! A little background before you read this chapter. I was recently in a community production of Seussical The Musical as a Who and Demi is my original character's name. My production had seven bird girls in it. I tried to keep the ages of the bird girls relatively consistent with the ages of my cast mates. This story is dedicated to my castmate Michelle Emmond who always gives me awesome advice on play auditions and her character's name in this story is Zoe. This chapter was recently edited by Sophie (TheCat'sApprentice19) and I feel it flows a lot better than the original version. Sophie and I are having a lot of fun writing this and we hope you the readers are equally enjoying reading it. ~Janine

Once Demi and Gertrude entered Gertrude's house, Demi was relieved to sit down and rest.

"You must have had quite the trip," Gertrude said.

Demi nodded. "I certainly did. I can't believe I'm in Nool. Much less that Kirsty transported me here."

"Can I get you something to drink?"

"I'm feeling a little light headed, so orange juice would be great. Thank you." Demi smiled warmly at her hostess, who quickly left the room, to come back shortly after with two drinks.

"So have the other jungle creatures been giving Horton a hard time since he found our clover?"

Gertrude nodded. "Yes. I feel awful for him. Once the citizens of the jungle meet you then they'll see that that Whos really do exist we could find a way for both our kinds to exist together as one."

That's wonderful, but I don't think I can really stay for a very long time. I have family and friends back home," Demi explained. "Also, I don't want to cause too much of a fuss around here. I think I should be keeping a low profile for the time being, to avoid any complicated questions."

Understanding the situation, she smiled gently. "I understand that. You will stay for a few days though won't you? I do get pretty lonely sometimes and you must want to know what this entire world has to offer."

Demi nodded. "Of course. I want to learn my way around the jungle, bring back everything back to Who. It would mean so much to everyone." Taking a sip of her drink, something came to her. "Gertrude, I have to ask you something, why is everyone else being so cruel to Horton?"

"Who knows…?" Sighing, she continued. "I guess it must be a bit too crazy for them to believe, and they don't really understand how he feels about saving you guys. Speaking of Who, how are things in Whoville?"

"Absolutely terrible. So many families have split apart because of the batter battle, not to mention the cutting of the Truffula trees and the rough stability of our entire planet."

Gertrude nodded. "Horton told me about that. It doesn't seem like the war makes a lot of sense. What difference does it make if people eat their bread butter side up?"

Demi shrugged her shoulders. "None of us really understand that either." Suddenly, Demi noticed the loud amount of Latin music that was pulsating her ears. Loudly, she asked her bird friend. "Where in the world is that music coming from?"

"Those girls are going to make everyone else deaf if they keep this up." Shutting the windows, before rolling her eyes, she explained. "Mayzie lives in the tree across from me. She's a lead singer in the most popular girl group in Nool. She lives in this huge penthouse apartment, and shares it with her seven backup singers. They're Zoe, Scarlet, Skye, Orla, Tia, Jessica, and Evie."

"What's she like?"

Gertrude shrugs. "She can be a little obnoxious, but I try not to let it bother me too much. You should see her tail! It's so beautiful, long and colorful. Unlike mine…"

As Gertrude gestured to her one feathered tail, Demi raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with your tail? I think it's lovely!"

"Well, it's just so average and plain. I really want to be noticed... especially by Horton."

That name made Demi stop in her tracks. Was this what she thought it was? "Horton?"

Gertrude looked at her house guest shyly before whispering. "Well, you see, I have feelings for Horton... romantic ones."

Demi's eyes grew wide. "Really?"

Gertrude nodded, looking a tad embarrassed.

"Have you told him?"

Gertrude sighed. "No, I'm too afraid to such a bold thing like that."

"And do you think that having a long feathered tail like Mayzie's will get him to notice you?" Demi asked.

"That's what I'm hoping." She said simply, looking hopeful. On the other side of the table, Demi wasn't so sure about that.

"Anyway, would you mind introducing me to Mayzie and the Bird Girls? They seem really interesting!"

"Sure thing! We could do it first thing tomorrow morning if you'd like."

The next morning there was a knock on the door. Opening it, Gertrude saw that it was one of the Bird Girls.

"Hi Gertrude. I wanted to bring over something for your guest, just a small welcome gift."

Gertrude smiled, giving the girl a hug. "That's so nice of you Tia. Please, come on in, and I'll introduce you to her."

Demi, who had just woken up, looked up from her morning coffee to see a girl bird standing next to Gertrude, who looked about her age.

"Hi. It's nice to meet you," she said. "I'm Tia. I'm one of Mayzie's backup singers. Gertrude told me that she had a guest staying with her, so I bought you some apple cake, just a welcome from us girls."

Demi smiled, standing up from her seat. "It's nice to meet you too, Tia. I'm Demi. How old are you?"

"23."

"Really? That's pretty close to my age." Demi was shocked.

"Wow! What a coincidence." Tia added, sitting down at the table.

"So, I heard you're in a singing group. Who are the other Bird Girls?" Demi asked

"There's seven of us. My sister Jessica is 18. Then, there's Evie, the youngest at 16, Orla, who is 25 and the three eldest girls, Skye Zoe and Scarlet, who is Orla's mother."

Demi smiled. "That's so neat that you all perform together. You must travel all over the place!"

"We do!" Tia replied. "It's so much fun. If you'd like, I could take you over to the penthouse to meet everyone else. Where are you from?"

That question made Demi unsure of what to say next. "I come from Whoville."

Tia's jaw dropped. "Really?"

Demi nodded. "Could you please not tell anyone else? I really don't want to cause a fuss, especially not to Horton. You can tell the other Bird Girls, but please, no one else."

The bird stayed silent for a few seconds, still shocked. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with us. But just one thing…how did you get here to Nool?"

"Umm…" Demi definitely didn't know how to answer this question. "I still have no idea on that. It's kind of complicated at the moment, but I know a creature with magical world traveling powers or something around those lines…"

Giggling, Tia smiled. "Seems like a wild ride! Well, I'm sure everyone will be delighted to meet you."

Gertrude nodded. "Let's eat and then we can all go back to the penthouse together."

"Sounds like a plan to me."

Twenty minutes later they headed over to the penthouse. Walking through the entrance, Demi couldn't stop gasping. "Wow, this place looks just as big on the inside as it does on the outside!" Demi said, as she looked at all the elaborate paintings on the walls.

Soon, they passed another bird with an orange boa. She smiled warmly at Demi and Gertrude, after hugging Tia.

"Hi Zoe!" Gertrude said, waving to her friend.

"Hello Gertrude. Who is this you have with you? What's your name darlin'?"

"I'm Demi," Demi whispered, in awe of this bird's beauty.

"No need to be shy. We're pretty much like a family here."

"Tia was telling me about how you guys travel all over the place and perform. Do you have any shows coming up?" Demi asked Zoe.

Zoe nodded. "We have a show coming up in a few days, with a new song of Mayzie's as the highlight. It's going to be huge!"

"I thought I heard loud music coming from here last night. That wasn't a performance of yours?" Gertrude asked.

"Mayzie had another party last night." Sighing, Tia gestured across the large space, which was covered in streamers, cups and other remains from what seemed like an interesting night. "She had invited some guys from over the mountain, but then the word got out and everything went crazy. Please excuse the bombsight. We're still cleaning up; that's how insane it got."

"Do you need any help?"

Zoe shook her head. "No. You can just relax. The girl who really needs to be here is Mayzie herself."

"You mean Mayzie isn't here?" Gertrude's eyes grew wide with surprise. "Where is she?"

"If we knew, we wouldn't be dealing with this, would we?!" Zoe looked irritated, gripping her broom tightly.

Tia moved over to Demi. "We have a hunch that she's gone off to Fort Worth, with her new boyfriend she hooked up with last night. Who knows when she'll be back…?"

Demi's jaw dropped "Shouldn't she stay here and help you guys clean up, and get ready for your big performance?"

Another bird girl poked her head around the corner of one of the bedrooms, before answering Demi's question. "One thing you should know about Mayzie is that she's not very responsible. We're surprised she can even keep our performance schedule straight."

Tia smiled. "This is my sister Jessica. She's 18."

"But we have nothing really to worry about. Mayzie would never miss an opportunity to go out and perform," Jessica reassured them. "What brings you to Nool?"

"I come from Whoville."

"Really?" Jessica gasped, before Demi nodded softly.

Tia nodded. "I know! Isn't it amazing? But I promised Demi to not tell anyone else but us girls, so no blabbing this to anyone else. The same goes for the other girls. Okay?"

Zoe and Jessica nodded. "Wow, it's is so crazy, finding out about another world, thinking it wasn't real and then meeting one of their kind in the course of two weeks…" Jessica sighed. "I guess there is life on that dust speck after all."

"Ooh that dust speck." two other bird girls chorused.

Zoe smiled. "These two are Scarlet and Skye. Scarlet's daughter Orla shares a room at the end of the hall with Evie. I'm sure you'll meet them soon."

"It's so nice to meet all of you." Demi told the girls, before Scarlet came over to her.

"Pleasure's all ours." Scarlet smiled warmly.

Gertrude went back over to Demi. "I should probably go back to Horton's to see if your friend is okay. You should stay here; have some fun with the girls."

"But what about-"

"If she's worse, then I'll let you know straight away. If she wanted you to come here, she would have wanted you to have fun. I'm sure these girls can help with you with your acting dream" Gertrude hugged Demi, seeing she was worried. "Besides, her recovery will be quicker with lots of rest. Horton told us she'd be fine with him. You can come back to my place whenever you want to."

Nodding, Gertrude waved goodbye to the girls and left the penthouse, to when Zoe took her through their home. "Now that you've met me, do you think he'll be given less of hard time for talking to the clover?" Demi asked.

"Yes, hopefully with help from the two of you we'll be able to prove to the other jungle creatures that Whoville does in fact exist. I think between the nine of us we can work something out. In the meantime, how would you like to watch us rehearse?" Skye asked Demi, who was nearly jumping out of her skin with joy. The group smiled, as they headed to back of the house, to where all the performance magic happened.


	3. Kirsty Meets The Bird Girls

**Kirsty Meets The Bird Girls**

**An Actress's Dream Chapter 5**

Once Kirsty was in dry clothes and had drunk a cup of hot tea Gertrude took her back to the pent house.

"Why aren't we going to your house?"

Gertrude smiled. "Demi has been spending time hanging out with the Bird Girls this afternoon. They'll all be excited to meet you."

"I hope they're a lot nicer than those monkeys I met back there. They creeped me out a little."

"They're quite harmless once you get to know them. Hugo and Louie are really good friends of mine."

"This house sure is a lot bigger than yours Gertrude... it's two stories!"

"Mayzie lives here too. She's out of town right now but hopefully you'll meet her eventually."

"Where did she go?"

"To Fort Worth for a one night stand with someone she met at the party they had last night."

Kirsty's jaw dropped. "She went away with a boy she just met?"

"One you thing you should know about Mayzie is that she has devil may care attitude about things. She goes away on these short vacations a lot. She meets many interesting people along the way based on what the other girls have told me."

When Gertrude tapped on the door Jessica opened it.

"Who's this Gertrude?"

"This is Horton's friend Kirsty."

"Is she a Who too?"

Gertrude turned to Kirsty.

"I'm from another country...I'm living on Who for a little while with Mr. and Mrs. Mayor and JoJo. Kirsty whispered.

"Where are you from originally?"

"Australia."

"I thought I detected a bit of an accent. Come on in! We just finished showing Demi our recording studio and now we're having some lunch."

The rest of the Bird Girls and Demi were sitting around a large oak dining room table.

"Kirsty, I was so worried! Where were you?" Demi got up from the table and embraced her friend immediately.

"I got lost in the jungle. The Wickersham Brothers were talking to me for awhie... well actually there were two girl Wickershams too. They were kind of creeping me out."

Evie smiled. "Don't worry about them. They don't mean to be so mysterious. They're actually really fun to be around."

"Come join us. We're about to have some chili and baked beans." said Skye.

Gertrude and Kirsty took a seat at the table.

"Kirsty was just telling me she's from Australia." Jessica said.

"Australia! Wow, that's pretty interesting. What brings you to Nool?" Tia asked

"I'm living with Mr. and Mrs. Mayor and JoJo for awhile. I live at Horton's while I stay in the jungle."

"How on earth did you get all the way to Nool from Australia?" Zoe asked.

Demi and Kirsty exchanged a look. "Should I tell them?" she mouthed.

Demi shrugged. "Only if you feel comfortable."

Kirsty sighed deeply.

"Well, you know how Jojo gets in trouble a lot for thinking outlandish things?"

"Yes." Scarlet looked suspicious.

"Well I'm a thinker like he is. My thoughts take me on many interesting adventures.. including to Nool and Whoville.'

There was silence.

"So do you mean to tell us that you have magical powers?" Orla asked.

Kirsty nodded.

The bird girls were utterly shocked hearing what they had just heard.

Tia looked at Demi. "Did her powers transport you to Nool?"

Demi nodded.

"Wow, that is so neat!" Jessica said.

"Wait til Mayzie hears all about this!" Evie said.

"When is she coming back by the way?" Gertrude asked.

Scarlet shrugged. "We don't know. Soon we're hoping. We're supposed to go on tour in one month and we need to prepare!"

Demi smiled at Kirsty. Kirsty, their recording studio is so neat. They told me all about where they're going to go on their tour too."

"How long will you be gone on your tour?" Kirsty asked.

"4 months. We're leaving in June and coming back in the middle of October." Tia replied.

"What kind of places do you go to?"

"We go all around the world!" Skye said.

Kirsty's eyes grew wide. "Even Australia?"

Jessica nodded. "Yes, even Australia. Maybe you can show us around your hometown."

Kirsty grinned. "That would be so much fun."

Jessica looked at her new friend excitedly. "We're all working on a plan to prove to the other jungle creatures that the Whos really do exist! Hopefully you and Demi can help us. If we get other people to believe us we hope that the Whos and Jungle Creature can all live in Nool together."

Kirsty's eyes grew wide. "Really? That means they won't be living on the clover anymore!"

Zoe smiled. "That's exactly right. Horton's been going through such a terrible time. Everyone has been laughing at him because he talks to the clover."

Kirsty smiled. " That would be awesome! Do you think the Butter Battle will ever be over?"

"One can only hope." Tia said

Demi nodded. "I really miss my cousins. I want them to come home."

Kirsty looked around the table at the Bird Girls.

Demi looked around the table.

"Would it be an intrusion if we came on tour with you guys?"

Scarlet nodded. "Of course not. We'd love it if you came."

"Are you sure Mayzie won't mind?"

Orla smiled. "No, not at all. The seven of us are pretty much like family. We want to get to know you better so can become part of our group."

Zoe wrapped her arm around her. "You and Kirsty are considered members of our family now... even though you live in Whoville."

Demi smiled. "I'll have to check with my aunt and uncle. I'm sure they'd let me go but it's just right now I am the only family that they have. My cousins are still fighting in the Butter Battle."

Kirsty looked at her friend. "Do you think they'll be home soon?"

Demi shrugged. "I sure hope so. They sent us a letter during the holidays saying they'd be home after Christmas. It's March 20th. From what Mr. Mayor said at town meeting they're slowly transitioning the soldiers out of the war zone."


	4. A Shock To Their Systems

**A Shock To Their Systems**

**An Actress's Dream Chapter 7**

The other bird girls and Demi looked at each other with confusion, all eyes going down to the egg that Mayzie held in her arms. None of them knew what to say, or where to start with the questions.

"Hello girls. I'm home," Mayzie whispered, sheepishly.

Tia tried to hold in her anger, breaking the silence. "And what sort of time do you call this? Where in the world have you been?"

"Never mind that!" Zoe interjected. "Please, for the love of Nool…please tell me that isn't yours, Mayzie…"

"We can ask all the questions later," Skye told them, pushing her fellow backup singers out of the way, before leading her attention to Mayzie. "Here, let me help you get inside. Jessica, would you take her bags upstairs, please? Demi and Orla, you girls can help Mayzie put the egg somewhere safe. And Evie, fetch us a few glasses of water as well, please!"

As everyone split, Orla and Demi helped a very tired Mayzie up the stairs to her room, carefully taking the delicate egg out of her arms.

"So, have you come up with a name for it yet?"

Mayzie suddenly snapped to attention, not recognizing Demi's voice. "I'm sorry, but who are you?"

"I'm Demi, a friend of Gertrude and Zoe's ," Demi told her, putting her hand out to the bird. "I've heard a lot about you, Mayzie, and I am so glad I could finally meet you."

Letting out a small smile, Mayzie sighed. "It's very nice to meet you, Demi. I just wish it was under better circumstances." After looking back at her new egg for a few moments, the conversation moved. "You don't look like you're from around here?"

Demi looked at the floor shyly. "I'm actually from Whoville."

"The clover?" Mayzie's eyes grew wide. " Are you serious?"

"Come on, Mayz," Orla smiled. "We'll bring up to speed in no time." Soon, all the girls re-joined in the living room, ready to get everything sorted.

"Okay, the most important question first," Skye said, taking charge. "Mayzie, is the egg yours? Yes or no?"

"…Yes."

All the girls sighed. "Let me guess, this is Tweet's doing, isn't it? He is the biggest-" Jessica was stopped by Orla, giving her a slight nudge in the stomach.

Zoe looked at Mayzie a little perturbed. "Do you realize what kind of added stress this baby puts on us? What were you thinking?"

Mayzie shrugged. "I'm sorry girls. I thought that Tweet would at least help me with it, but it turns out all he wanted was a one off fling. When he saw the egg, he dashed off back to San Juan."

"But…what about the tour?" Evie asked, beginning to become stressed.

"The tour will go ahead as planned," Mayzie told her, her voice slightly shaky " I'll just find someone to look after the baby while we're gone. I bet the Annabelle, Victoria, Rose, Stella and the other young jungle animals would love to baby sit."

Gertrude sighed. "The jungle is in complete chaos at the moment. It has hard enough for you girls to find someone responsible enough to look after your house. Who is going to be able to look after an actual baby for the months you're on tour?"

"I've had enough of this!"

All the girls gasped as Scarlet, who had been silent through the whole conversation, stood and looked Mayzie straight in the eyes. "I can't believe you. You come back here and expect everyone to welcome you with open arms and for everything to go back to normal, after being away for weeks on end? This isn't a game, Mayzie! This is serious! Have you also forgotten about the horrible lurch you've left poor Horton in?"

Mayzie looked down. " I guess so."

"Scarlet…" Evie tried to ease her friend, but Scarlet wasn't giving up, her voice growing louder and louder.

"Mayzie, you're going to be a mother soon.. to not one but two babies. The egg you left Horton to take care of could hatch any day now! These little mistakes of yours affects every one of us and because of you, our careers and reputations are on the line. For once in your life, could you please stop thinking about yourself and put other's first?!" With that, Scarlet stormed up the stairs up to her room and slammed the door shut.

After an awkward long silence, Mayzie slowly stood. "I think I should turn in for the night. I'm truly sorry, girls." As Mayzie went quietly to her room, the remainder of the Bird Girls were in complete shock.

"Scarlet never bursts out like that," Evie managed to say, shuffling her feet. "I have to agree with her a little, though. These babies change everything."

"So what's going to happen with the tour?" Tia asked. "Are we just going to cancel it? We've been practicing for months on end for this gig. I even did five all-nighters to finalize the costumes!"

All the girls turned to Zoe, as she was the oldest. She sighed, shaking her head. "I have no say on the matter. It's Mayzie's decision, and what she says goes. Though, I suggest that we continue as planned until Mayzie has rested, and we have all had a chance to calm down. We will continue rehearsals for next week as planned until further notice. Everyone understand?" The girls nodded in agreement.

Skye stood up slowly, still struggling to believe all of what had occurred in the past half hour. "I'll ring the producer in the morning and tell him the news. I agree with Zoe. Let's just all have some rest, and we can talk more about this in the morning."

Around midday the next morning, Demi went straight back to the Bird Girl's house with Gertrude, wanting to make sure that they were all okay. When they arrived, they found Zoe, who was standing alone in the courtyard, with a coffee in hand. A small smile grew on her face as she saw Demi and Gertrude coming over to her.

"How are you doing?" Demi asked reaching out to hug her friend. "Did you get any sleep last night?"

Zoe shook her head, her eyes still baggy. "Not a wink." She led the pair back inside, putting the empty cup on the bench. "I'm sorry that you had to witness all that drama with Mayzie, Demi," Zoe apologized. "This could have been a great experience for you, but without a lead singer, there isn't much we can do…"

"I understand," Demi told her. "It was awesome even to just see your rehearsals. I would have loved to have seen you all live!"

"If only we could make that happen." The three stood in silence, before Zoe spoke again. "You girls wait here, I'll make us some more coffee."

Zoe had only been gone for a few seconds before a sight at the top of the staircase made Demi gasp. "Kirsty!" She wasted no time, rushing up the stairs to embrace her friend. "You scared us half to death! Where on earth did you go last night?"

Kirsty sighed, putting her hands back into her jacket pockets. "I was just tying up some loose ends. I'm sorry I didn't come back sooner; I guess we lost track of time."

"We? Is that the mystery man that Evie was going on about last night?" Gertrude asked.

Raising an eyebrow, Kirsty clarified. "Mystery man? More like an acquaintance."

As Kirsty went to sit down, Zoe came back with some coffee. "Morning, Kirsty. Good to see you've found Demi. The clothes fit okay? I'm sorry if they are a little big."

"Yeah, curse me and my crazy size…" Kirsty laughed, looking over her outfit, which consisted of an old leather jacket and jeans that once belonged to Evie. "But, honestly, they're fine. Thank you for letting me borrow them."

Gertrude put her coffee down, before looking to Kirsty. "So, do you know that Mayzie is back?"

"I got her up to speed," Zoe explained. "She arrived here a few hours after you girl's left, and Orla managed to explain everything to her before I found her a place to sleep."

"So, what do you think about the egg business?" All went silent as Demi asked Kirsty, the girl not sure how to respond.

Looking down, she eventually responded. "I'm not sure. At the moment, we shouldn't be jumping to any conclusions. After all, we don't know that much about Mayzie's side of the story."

Gertrude nodded, standing. "We should get going, Zoe. Let you girls get some space and a little more sleep. The last thing you need is us sticking our noses in everything."

"Maybe today we can introduce you to some of the jungle animals I met at the party last night!" Demi said, turning to Kirsty. "They will be so happy to meet you!"

Zoe laughed. "Looks like you've got a big day ahead of you. I guess I'll see you all later then."

Demi waved goodbye, before rushing out the door with Kirsty struggling to keep up with the pace. Gertrude smiled, seeing the two disappear. "Thank goodness she's back safe. Demi was really worried about her. Thank you so much for looking after her."

"Don't mention it," Zoe told her. "I wouldn't worry about Kirsty, though. She's a smart girl. I just wish Mayzie had the same level of judgment."

"Nothing's been resolved, then?"

Both frustrated and worried, Zoe put a hand to her head. "Mayzie and Scarlet both haven't left their rooms yet, and the other girls can't be near the house. It's just all so messy. We have to keep it together, try and stand by each other. Otherwise, it's not just going be our music careers on the line. If we got the tour issue sorted, we would be able to figure everything out so much better. You heard Demi- she was looking forward so much to this tour! Our fans are counting on us, and I can't bear to let both them and my family down."

Suddenly, Gertrude's eyes went wide, an idea coming to mind. "Zoe, you said that you couldn't perform without a lead right?"

"Yeah, unfortunately. Mayzie brings just the right little extra pizzazz which make our performances so great," she explained.

Nodding, Gertrude continued. "What if I were to tell you that I knew where I could find a stand in?"

Zoe shook her head, not in the mood. "Gertrude, that's a nice thought, but entirely impossible! We have less than a week till opening night! They would have had to know all the steps, and the routine to our new number, and not to mention, they-"

"What about Demi?"

It took a few moments for Zoe to register Gertrude's remark. Zoe turned away from her, thinking it over. "How confident is she with her singing?"

"She can be a little insecure about her voice sometimes, but she has a great sound."

"Style?"

"A mix between Jazz and Showgirl."

"Dance level?"

"Did you even see her moves last night? And she is willing to give anything a go."

Silently pacing the room, Zoe remained deep in thought, knowing her decision could make or break, whatever the outcome. Gertrude, however, was very clear on her opinion. "Come on, Zoe. You've seen Demi. She's been working with you guys for weeks now. She had what it takes!"

Zoe slumped back onto the couch, putting her head in her hands. Before long, she gave out a much needed sigh. "Gertrude, this is a serious decision I have to consider. Our tour is a huge event, and we can't afford to make any mistakes." Looking back at her friend, Zoe's face softened. "Look, I don't make the final decision. I am only a backing singer. Besides, who knows what our producer would say when he found out we-"

"Please, Zo!" Gertrude begged. "Just tell me, in your opinion, would you let her in?"

"I think she would be able to do it." Zoe stated, standing back up. "I will be honest, this won't be easy. But I think that she does have the skills to perform, if she chooses to do it. But remember, this isn't definite. I'll have to get the okay from the other girls and Mayzie."

Gertrude squealed with delight, wrapping Zoe up in a hug. "Thank you, Zoe. I promise you, she will be so excited that she is Mayzie's understudy! You won't be disappointed!"

** Notes:** Lots of tension and explosive emotions in this revised version of the chapter. Thanks to my collaborator Sophie for doing such a great job capturing the characters and how they react to Mayzie coming home with the baby. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!


	5. A Chance Of A Lifetime

**A Chance Of A Lifetime**

**An Actress;s Dream Chapter 9**

This story is dedicated to showtunediva/Janine's co-star Michelle Emmond who always gives her the best advice for play auditions, whose character's name is Zoe.

Happy 2015 all!

Sadly, this is the last chapter for this collaboration, and although we are extremely sad that it is over, we are excited about what is to come and also proud about we have achieved together. It has been an absolute blast to write and we hope you all enjoyed it. Massive thanks to all who have read, and an extra thanks to all who reviewed and commented.

Disclaimer: We do not own Seussical, any of its characters, songs or story. They belong to Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty and Ted Geisel. Showtunediva owns the names of the Bird Girls, Mr. James and the awesome Demi, along with her family and friends. I (TheCatsApprentice19) own Kirsty.

Best wishes to you all,

~Sophie and Janine

Chapter 9: A Chance of a Lifetime

Demi excused herself to go out to the garden and take a walk. She had a lot on her mind and had to sort through her emotions to make sense of everything, the girl having a hard time believing she was going to be Mayzie's understudy on the tour. About 10 minutes later, Jessica came into the courtyard.

"Are you okay?"

Demi shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I am still trying to process everything."

"It's pretty cool that Mayzie trusts you enough to be her understudy huh?"

"I'm worried I won't be able to meet everyone's expectations," Demi admitted, her head hanging low. "It's just this is my first time performing in front of the whole world. I mean…I was in chorus in high school but this is a huge step for me. I was never much of a dancer either."

"We believe in you. You'll do great!" Jessica smiled, putting a wing around her friend. For the rest of the afternoon, Demi stayed close to the Bird Girls, until the early evening, when the front doorbell rang.

Zoe and Skye quickly answered it, a tall man dressed in business attire standing at the door. "Good evening ladies."

"Good evening Mr. James," Skye answered, showing him through. "We're so glad that you could come here at such short notice."

Zoe showed their guest to the lounge where the other Bird Girls and Demi were seated. "Unfortunately Mayzie will not be joining us for dinner tonight. She's been feeling a bit under the weather today. But let's get you settled. We have a We have a lot to fill you in on, sir." Zoe said.

While they all settled down for pre-dinner drinks, the tour producer's gaze landed on Demi. "And who might you be?"

"My name is Demi, sir." Demi whispered.

Mr. James gave her a reassuring smile. ""No need to be shy. Trust me; I'm not as intimidating as I look."

Zoe sat down, on her face a grave expression. "Sir, Mayzie is expecting a child. That's why she's taking leave from the tour. She had also left our friend Horton with an egg, which is due to hatch any day now, so she now has two children to raise."

Mr. James sighed, his head in his hands. "Let me guess…this sudden pregnancy came about while she was away on her 'extended' vacation?" His expression worsened when he saw all the seven Bird Girls nod in shame. "So, where does this lady fit into the situation?" As he motioned to Demi, the Who felt herself sink further into her seat, his irritated stare giving her goosebumbs.

"This is what we wanted to run by you, sir. Do you approve of Mayzie having an understudy? We have been most lucky that Demi has graciously offered to step in. We've been teaching her all the songs and choreography, and we all believe that she does have the skills." Scarlet told him, as her fellow backup singers stared at their tour producer curiously.

"Demi, do you realize that this tour is a huge time commitment?" Mr. James asked, the flow of his voice slowing down due to the seriousness of his question.

Demi nodded. "Yes sir, I do. I'm up for this challenge and I'm very excited, and privilege to be even considered for this opportunity."

"Would you ever consider being Mayzie's permanent replacement?"

Demi's jaw dropped, not at all expecting that question to be said. "What?! I-I'm really not sure."

Evie's jaw was also scraping the floor. "You're going to fire Mayzie, are you?"

Mr. James's expression was stoic. "I'm not entirely sure, but that could be a definite possibility, Evie. I think you girls can all agree with me that Mayzie is irresponsible and doesn't take this job as seriously as she should. This was her last strike…if you all remember correctly. I don't mean to harsh, but this option must be considered."

Orla nodded. "Yes sir, we certainly remember. But, once she has the baby…do you think you might change your mind? Caring for not one but two children will have to prove some sort of responsibility to you."

"Perhaps," Mr. James shrugged. "I extremely doubt that will change my mind completely, but I can be persuaded if I see that her behaviour has improved."

"Sir, this is slightly moving away from this topic, but do you suppose I could ask a favour from you?" Demi asked.

Mr. James smiled warmly. "Anything within reason, my dear."

"Could we perhaps perform a small concert in my hometown before we leave for the tour? It will probably be the last time I see my family or my friends for a while."

Mr. James's smile grew wider. "I see no problem with that. Where do you live?"

"Whoville sir."

It was time for Mr. James's jaw to drop. "Excuse me, but did you say Whoville?" Demi nodded, which made his eyes grow wider. "How on earth did you get here to Nool?"

"It's a bit complicated," Demi admitted. "I do not know much about how I got here, but all I know is that a friend of mine transported me here…almost by magic."

Mr. James nodded sceptically "I see. Does this friend of yours know the Cat in the Hat? He is not the type of creature girls like you should be messing with, what with all his tricks and odd magic. Did he have any involvement in transporting you here?"

The Bird Girls stared at their friend in shocked silence. Demi fidgeted. "I have no idea, sir. I never asked her about it. I considered the whole process a bit too personal for me to start asking her about it."

Suddenly, the doors burst open, a flustered Kirsty immediately rushing inside. "I'm so sorry to interrupt, but Demi…I really need to talk to you." Taking her friend by the hand, she led her into a spare room, quickly shutting the door behind her, locking it tight.

"Kirsty, what's going on?" Demi asked her, seeing her friend's body was now tight. "What was so important that you had to drag me away from the girls? You know that you can just-"

"We don't have that much time." As Kirsty turned back around, Demi could see that her friend was no longer there, instead the Cat in the Hat, his face now holding a stern expression. Seeing how confused and shocked Demi looked, his aura eased, the Cat letting out a small sigh. "I have a lot to discuss with you, about your friend, and why and how you ended up here. You should probably sit down; it might take a bit of time to explain everything in terms we will both understand. Please, leave all questions until after I have explained everything."

Demi raised an eyebrow, before she quickly did as she was asked. Having a moment to gather his thoughts, the Cat soon began the explaining. "First things first…if you couldn't already tell, your 'friend' Kirsty is not from around here. She comes from a parallel version of this universe, and because of this, most of the people in her version of this world look different than they do here. Some even don't exist here, or have completely different lives."

"Kirsty ended up in this world as the result of a collision between the two time zones," he told her, pacing the space as he did so. "In Whoville, it resulted in a series of tremors on the day before Kirsty arrived. Through that, a paradox, or alternative situation, was created, one which brought the most diverse object it could find into its path, which turned out to be Kirsty."

"But then…how can she ever get back to her own version of Seuss?" Demi interrupted, causing the Cat to stop and turn back to face Demi. "And where is Kirsty? What have you done with her?"

He smiled, intrigued by the girl's curiosity. "Well, why don't you ask her yourself?"

Demi had no idea what he was talking about, until her head turned to find Kirsty standing a few metres behind her seat. "Kirsty! You're here!"

As the two embraced, Kirsty answered Demi's questions. "While the party was going on, the Cat was helping me find a way to return to where I came from. It would have been easy, but we had to be careful."

"There are quite a few reasons why I am telling you everything and not Kirsty," the Cat continued. "Every second longer she stays, and the more she reveals of the parallel, the more tangled our Seuss becomes. This is why she has to leave now."

"Leave? What are you talking about?" Demi gasped, turning back to Kirsty. "You can't leave now! What about the tour? Can't you stay a little longer?"

The Cat hung his head, turning towards the door. "I'll give you two a minute alone."

After the Cat had left the room, Kirsty and Demi embraced, Demi now in tears. "How will you get back to your home?"

"Well, it turns out that the two worlds are still close together, and if they aren't separated within the next half an hour, time will stay frozen," Kirsty told her, her voice now a whisper. "The Cat found out that by Thinking myself through the crack between the worlds, I can get time in this world back up and running again, and soon, you will be able to return home normally through the portals."

"There's a catch, isn't there…" Demi murmured. Her head lowered when she saw Kirsty slowly nod.

"If I return back to my own universe, all memory of me will be removed. The moments and all this will stay the say, except the details that involve me will be changed so everything fits back into itself. Both of us will never know that we met, as really…it never actually happened." Sitting down on a chair looking away from Demi, she sighed. "You may be asking yourself 'Why is she telling me all this, when I am just going to forget it all?'…well, I just believe that for once, I should be honest with you," she said, looking out the window, her mind full of dilemma. Quickly after, she turned back to Demi, a sympathetic look in her eyes. "You don't need me, you know. You are going be perfectly fine without me, especially with a world tour on your hands. How are you feeling about that, honestly?"

Demi was quiet for a few moments. "I guess it would be pretty cool. I would miss my family a lot though, if I was asked to take over from Mayzie permanently. At least with the tour now, I'll be back in plenty of time for the holidays. I'm just worried about leaving them behind and being away from them for so long. My uncle aunt and cousins are pretty much all I have." Looking down at the floor, she whispered. "My parents got divorced after my youngest sister was born. My dad hasn't been in touch with us since then. My mom and sisters fled Whoville after the Butter Battle started. We haven't heard from them since then. "

Kirsty was speechless, not knowing how to respond to such a delicate remark. Instead, she went back over to her friend and took her hands. "Thank you, Demi." The silence laid still for quite some time, the two girls having no words to express their gratitude for all the other had done. "Now, you might experience a light drowsiness, but anything else…just blame it on the Cat."

"He told me that people in your world were different to how they are here. I know that you can't tell me much, but you seem to know the Cat. Do you know someone like him in your world?"

Having to think about Demi's sudden question, her gaze went to where the Cat was standing, the feline leaning against the door. He tapped his wrist, quietly reminding the girl that her time was almost up. "No, not yet," she told Demi, looking back to her. "Maybe someday I will. Who knows? Anything's possible."

"Ready to go, Kirsty?" the Cat interjected, trying not to sound rude. "It's almost time."

Now at tears, Demi wrapped Kirsty in an embrace. "Be kind to yourself, you got that? And if you ever get the chance, be sure to let me know if you made it there safe. I don't care if I won't remember you; I just want to know that you are still you."

Kirsty nodded, trying not to get emotional. "I promise." Letting Demi go, she slowly took the hand of the Cat, who softly planted a kiss on her forehead, and after giving the girl a mischievous smile, put his hand against her forehead. "Break a leg, dreamer," she whispered, those words the last Demi ever heard and remembered, the whole room soon bursting with light.

"Demi? Are you with us?"

Immediately, the girl's eyes flashed open, her vision still blurry. When her eyes came back into focus, she immediately saw the eyes of all seven of the Bird Girls, Gertrude, Mayzie and the tour producer flashing back at her. Remembering the question, Demi drowsily nodded back, the shared reaction a release of a long awaited breath.

"That's good. We thought that all this might have become a bit too much for you to handle!" Evie laughed, sitting opposite from Demi at the table. "Anyway, we were just talking about the tour. Mr. James has allowed Mayzie to be your personal assistant during the tour, so she can look after her children during the day without the stress of the tour, and then help you out if you need it when we perform every night."

Demi smiled. "That's fantastic! Now we can all be together for the tour!"

Although her mood seemed happy, Skye seemed to notice that her friend's expression seemed confused. "Demi, what's on your mind? You look like you've been crying."

"I don't know," Demi told her, slowly putting a hand to her cheek, the surface lightly wet. "I feel like I should know, but I honestly have no idea. How long was I asleep?"

Zoe shrugged. "Only a few minutes. Why? Can't you remember something? What do you remember about this afternoon?"

"Well…the last thing that comes to mind would be when Mr. James started talking about someone called the Cat. Is he going to be an issue in the tour?"

"Not if I have anything to do with it," Mr. James muttered, slightly irritated. It didn't take him long to change his mood, soon back to its regular carefree tone. "I know that he doesn't mean much harm, but the last time that the girls went on tour, he did cause a bit of a ruckus backstage. That's why his name, or anything like it, is absolutely off the tour list."

Mayzie rolled her eyes. "It's not like he will even have time to deal with all that. He has enough on his plate without trying to plan some practical joke for us. Anyway, this time we all have our own private jet to take us everywhere, which will be up and ready by the time the tour starts up."

Orla noticed that Demi still looked anxious. "Is something else still bothering you Demi?"

"Nothing. It's okay," Demi told them, hiding her confused state. "You guys are sure that this is all fine…me being a part of your group?"

"Of course it is!" Jessica exclaimed, getting up from her seat and over to Demi. "You're more than just part of our group- you're like one of our family now!"

The other girls nodded in agreement, all of them coming around Demi. "Yes, you guys have been so nice to me. Thank you so much for everything."

After the decision of Demi new position as Mayzie's stand-in, time in both Nool and Whoville went quickly, many remarking that it only felt like a few hours since that time. However, much had changed, including the uniting of the two communities as one, the result of Horton's trial proving the existence of his so called 'imaginary' people.

Nervous beyond belief, and slightly overwhelmed, Demi sat down on a chair, the sound of the incoming large crowds flooding her eardrums. Not long after becoming a part of the Bird Girls, she had been sent back to Whoville, spending all her spare time to rehearse and practice her songs for the tour, which had now been moved until after the trial. It was not only good for the group, but an excellent distraction from the deteriorating situation that Who had been facing for the last few months. However, now that the trial was over, all hands were on deck, the Bird Girl's tour almost ready to kick off.

Her aunt and uncle, along with her cousins Jeff and Winona entered her dressing room. "Sweetheart, we're so proud of you," her Uncle Charles said, giving her a large hug.

"Your parents and sisters would be too. We really wish they could see you perform tonight." her aunt Sophia added. "And to perform with such a successful group!"

Demi nodded. "The Bird Girls have been so nice to me. It's going to be so much fun going to on tour with them. This is the big break I've wanted to get for a while."

"Are you nervous Dem? her cousin Jeff asked, sitting on the chair next to her.

"Extremely. My friend Jess said I have nothing to worry about, though, and I should just trust myself."

Her aunt smiled. "She's right you know. You're going to do absolutely fantastic!"

A soft tap on the door shushed the family, Mayzie poking her head through the gap. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Demi has to start getting into her costume now."

"Oh course. See you after the show, sweetheart," her uncle told her, giving her one final hug.

"We will be in the front row, so you can't miss us!" Winona added, just before her family left the room, only Mayzie and Demi remaining.

Mayzie let out a small laugh, followed by a kind smile. "Your family must be very proud of you. Especially after they see you in this-" Pulling the plastic off the outfit, Demi's mouth went wide, the dress in front of her the most spectacular and glamourous piece she had ever seen. "You've earned this, Demi. It's time for you to shine!"

For the next twenty minutes, the girl was flooded with makeup artists, hair designers and other assistants, all there to make sure that she looked and felt the part. "Can someone please pinch me?" was all the girl could utter, her appearance at the conclusion the session almost unrecognisable.

When the rest of her group came into her dressing room, a round of cheers and gasps flooded the space. "Demi! Look at you! You're…you're amayzing!" Zoe exclaimed, her smile wide.

"We are going to rock the house, ladies!" Orla cheered.

Suddenly, the door opened, their stage manager asking the girls to come out, only five minutes until the show would start. As Demi slowly made her way out to their entrance position- her speed lacked due to her still dumbfounded state and the eight inch heels that encaged her feet-one of the tech girls ran up to her, a bouquet of flowers in her arms.

"You're Demi, right?" she asked her, Demi nodding in confirmation. "These are for you. This guy with a top hat gave them to me…Anyway, good luck!"

Quickly thanking the girl, she went over to a quieter spot, the bouquet now in her hands. Slowly, she opened the small envelope that was attached to the wrapping, and began to read the note inside, its handwriting curly and cursive.

Dear Demi,

Congrats on your big performance. I couldn't be more excited or happy for you. You have worked really hard for this and you deserve all the success you get. At this point in time, you probably don't remember me, and probably I won't either, but I just wanted to let you know that you were like family to me, and I really appreciate your friendship. I will probably never be able to say it to your face- heck, I didn't even have the guts to write this all down, but I will always miss you, no matter what.

Break a leg, dreamer!

~K

Demi's stood in silence, her eyes subconsciously growing misty. She had no idea who this person was, but yet she somehow felt sad, that she wished that she could meet her.

"How ya doing superstar?" Tia's voice rang out, but stopped, as she saw Demi's face, tears slowly falling down it. "What's wrong? Who are the flowers from?" Silently, Demi passed them to the bird, turning away from her.

As Tia read the note, Scarlet came from behind and started to read it from behind her fellow backup singer's shoulder. "Do you know this person, Demi?"

"I-" words started to get caught in the girl's mouth. "I feel like I do, but I can't remember their name…"

"Whoever they are…they seem to know you pretty well," Jessica noted, giving the flowers to one of the assistants. "I'm sure you will remember them soon enough."

"Your family must be so proud of you, Dem," Tia said, wiping the tears away from her lead singer's eyes.

Demi nodded. "They are, and they're excited to meet you guys too. I'll have to introduce you all to them after the show."

The two birds took Demi back to where the rest of the girls and Mayzie were waiting. "Demi, we just wanted to thank you," Evie told her. "You really saved this show for us. If you hadn't stepped in, we would have had to cancel the tour, and there would be a lot of disappointed people out there."

"I'm just really happy I could help you guys out," Demi humbly responded. "Now that I have a taste of what it feels to perform with you guys, I am even more excited for the rest of the tour."

Mayzie came closer to Demi, lightly fixing her makeup, which caused Tia's eyes to expand, an idea coming to mind. "You know what would be really cool? If after the tour, you and Mayzie could perform together, and maybe at some of our other concerts, you two could sing a few duets. I know you're insecure about your voice, Demi, but you don't really need to be. Perhaps in October we can have another meeting with Mr. James and discuss that possibility."

Demi's smile grew wider. "That would be awesome!"

Skye nodded, the girl almost ready to jump out of her skin. "Come on, girls! We're almost ready to go on!" With one last cheer, the group made their way to their positions, just as the final members of the sold-out crowd packed the concert hall. At that moment, the lights dimmed, and the emcee for the night stepped out from behind the curtain and began to address the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a special treat for you tonight! The famous girl group from Nool is here to perform some jazz and show tune favourites, right here in the centre of Who!" he announced. "The lead singer, Mayzie LaBird, unfortunately is unwell at this present time, so our very own Demi will be filling in for her. Enjoy the show!"

On cue, the curtain rose and the spotlight went up. Demi stepped up to the microphone, the crowd's roar increasing as she came into the light. She took a few deep breaths in, before looking out at the masses of people. Among them she could see her family, her friends from both Who and Nool, and other people whom she knew or who would soon know her name. Looking behind her, her new best friends- Jessica, Evie, Skye, Tia, Orla, Scarlet and Zoe- stood behind her, making her confidence soar as they smiled back at her.

Before she gave the signal for the group to start, she looked up into the sky, winking up at the clouds and stars above.

Thanks, Kirsty. This song is for you…

Giving a small nod to the band, the music started up, and at that moment, Demi could not be more grateful for the new friends she had made, the journey she had embarked on, and the bright future that lay ahead of her, her lifelong dream now achieved far beyond her expectations.

THE END


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